22 Most Divide European Desserts Everyone Should Try in America
European desserts have taken the world by storm with their rich history, diverse flavors, and irresistible charm. From delicate French pastries to decadent Italian treats, these classics have made their way across the Atlantic, becoming favorites in bakeries, cafes, and kitchens across America. If you’ve yet to explore these sweet wonders, here’s a list of European desserts that deserve a place on your must-try list.
Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake
This delicious, easy Italian lemon ricotta cake is by far one of the best lemon desserts you will ever try. Made with fresh lemons, creamy ricotta cheese, and a hint of vanilla extract. It has a gently sweet, citrusy flavor and an irresistible melt-in-your-mouth texture that resembles a moist sponge cake. Whether you enjoy it for breakfast, brunch, or as a dessert with a side of ice cream, it will be hard not to run back for seconds!
Go to the recipe: Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake
Palmiers
These deliciously sweet and buttery Palmiers cookies are perfectly light, crispy, and crunchy perfection with each bite! Made with just a package of store-bought puff pastry and a bit of sugar, this 2-ingredient easy recipe comes together in just 40 minutes! Your family is sure to be impressed when you present them with these famous fancy bakery-style puff pastry sweets!
Go to the recipe: Palmiers
Rum Baba
Rum baba (baba au rum), this classic yeast bundt cake soaked in delicious rum syrup, decorated with a light vanilla bean whipped mascarpone frosting, is the ultimate brioche-like boozy dessert! My rum baba recipe is super fluffy and moist, and the rum-based soaking syrup makes it even creamier without making it soggy.
Go to the recipe: Rum baba
Sacher Torte Cake
Austrian Sacher Torte Cake is a Viennese specialty, and it’s a European cake recipe that defines elegance. Two layers of chocolate sponge cakes, a fine layer of apricot jam, and a smooth chocolate glaze make this dessert a must-try European cake, one of the best European chocolate desserts for sure.
Go to the recipe: Sacher Torte Cake
Napoleon Cake
Napoleon Cake is a perfectly moist and deliciously creamy dessert made of crunchy puff pastry and silky pastry cream that can be a great fit for any occasion. This recipe will show you how to make Napoleon cake that is flaky, elegant, and overflowing with homemade goodness.
Go to the recipe: Napoleon Cake
Baklava Cheesecake
This delicious baklava cheesecake recipe is a must-try for baklava and cheesecake lovers. It’s the rich and creamy flavor of a traditional cheesecake but wrapped in a nutty phyllo crust drizzled in honey and rosewater syrup. What’s more, it’s actually very easy to make!
Go to the recipe: Baklava Cheesecake
Strawberry Tiramisu
Take the traditional classic Italian dessert to the next level with this scrumptious no-bake strawberry tiramisu recipe! Sweet, crunchy ladyfingers are topped with silky mascarpone cream and fresh strawberry jam between each layer for a blast of berry flavor!
Go to the recipe: Strawberry Tiramisu
Mini Tiramisu Cups
These mini tiramisu cups are the perfect no-bake desserts for summer that come together in 15 minutes using a few simple ingredients. Airy ladyfingers that are layered in between light mascarpone cream, rich espresso, and a touch of cocoa finish. Individual tiramisu parfaits that no need to share!
Go to the recipe: Mini Tiramisu Cups
Crème Brûlée Choux Au Craquelin
This Crème Brûlée Choux au craquelin (cream puff) is filled with silky vanilla pastry cream (Crème Pâtissière) and topped with a crunchy caramelized sugar layer just like traditional Crème Brûlée! Its delicate texture and delicious flavor will certainly impress everyone. It is crunchy, creamy, and silky, with a wonderful caramelized sugar flavor! Certainly one of the most delicious choux pastries I have ever made!
Go to the recipe: Crème Brûlée Choux Au Craquelin
Clafoutis
Cherry Clafoutis, this classic French dessert, is the ultimate flan-like recipe that comes together really quickly and easily! It has a custard-like creamy texture and can be made with a great variety of fruits, e.g., berries, cherries, apples, etc. This is a rustic dessert with a homemade comfort food vibe and probably the easiest recipe on my blog!
Go to the recipe: Clafoutis
Chocolate Salami
Salami and chocolate might not be the first pairing that comes to mind, but this no-bake chocolate salami recipe will change that! Don’t worry—there’s no actual salami involved. Instead, you’ll find a mouthwatering mix of rich dark chocolate, crushed tea cookies, citrusy orange zest, and crunchy chopped nuts, all rolled into a delicious package that the whole family will love!
Go to the recipe: Chocolate Salami
Crème Brûlée
Make this super easy homemade crème brûlée recipe with a smooth and silky texture and crunchy caramel, just like in restaurants. Homemade crème brûlée comes together in just 5 minutes with three simple ingredients, but it tastes elegant and professional. You have to try it.
Go to the recipe: Crème Brûlée
Floating Island
Also known as île flottante in French, a floating island is a light, fluffy, and creamy classic French dessert that is, in fact, no-bake and super easy. Made with milk, sugar, egg, and vanilla, the floating island dessert isn’t just simple to make but also gluten-free!
Go to the recipe: Floating Island
French Brioche Bread
This French brioche bread recipe is buttery and soft with the perfect fluffy crumb. If you haven´t tried baking homemade brioche bread before, just wait until the delicious buttery smell fills your kitchen; you’ll be hooked!
Go to the recipe: French Brioche Bread
Limoncello Tiramisu
This bright and refreshing Limoncello tiramisu puts a citrusy twist on the classic Italian dessert! Made with Limoncello lemon curd, sweet ladyfingers, and creamy mascarpone cream between each layer, it will surely leave an impression. Serve it after your favorite pasta for a well-rounded Italian meal you won’t forget!
Go to the recipe: Limoncello Tiramisu
Strawberry Galette
Making this easy strawberry galette recipe takes literally zero effort with incredible delicious results. It is the most perfect Spring and Summer pie! A flaky and buttery pie crust that takes 3 minutes to make is loaded with strawberries and baked to bubbly perfection.
Go to the recipe: Strawberry Galette
Sablé Breton Tart
Sablé Breton is a delicious French pâtissérie-style buttery pastry often used as a base of a cake or tart or simply enjoyed as sable cookies. This Sablé Breton tart filled with raspberry confit, custard – creme mousseline, to be exact – and raspberries is a delicious and super decorative dessert that you will be able to make easily following my step-by-step baking guide.
Go to the recipe: Sablé Breton Tart
German Bee Sting Cake
This delicious two-layer traditional German bee sting cake is sure to be the talk of your guests at your next gathering! It is a traditional dessert made with soft, airy, French brioche bread filled with creamy vanilla pastry cream and a honey-glazed, crunchy almond topping. It is more than tasty but also eye-catching!
Go to the recipe: German Bee Sting Cake
Mille Feuille
Mille Feuille is a classic French pastry defined by its alternating flaky pastry layers and smooth cream filling. This recipe makes the French treat easy to follow, breaking it down step by step so that you can recreate the beautiful bakery treat right in your own kitchen.
Go to the recipe: Mille Feuille
Cream Cheese Puff Pastry Danish
This easy Philadelphia cream cheese puff pastry Danish tart recipe will be the talk of the table at your next fancy breakfast party or brunch! Made with flaky puff pastry, cream cheese filling, and fresh berries, they aren’t just tasty but absolutely beautiful. If you have been looking for the perfect puff pastry with cream cheese filling recipe to turn heads and satisfy the taste buds, look no further!
Go to the recipe: Cream Cheese Puff Pastry Danish
Fraisier Cake
Fraisier cake (French strawberry cake) consists of buttery sponge layers filled with incredibly delicious and silky Crème mousseline (pastry cream enriched with butter), a layer of refreshing strawberry compote, and the signature strawberry decoration around the cake. No doubt, Fraisier cake is the Queen of Strawberry cakes, and it´s easier to make than you might think!
Go to the recipe: Fraisier Cake
Danish Butter Cookies
For a simple yet flavorful dessert or snack that the whole family will love, these buttery and soft Danish butter cookies (also known as Danish biscuits) will not disappoint! We use the same six ingredients from the classic Royal Dansk Danish cookies in the blue tin that many know and love.
Go to the recipe: Danish Butter Cookies
